Teachers' Strike the Focus at Neshaminy School Board Meeting

Chants, applausal and the holding up of signs would make you think you were at a concert or sporting event, but it was the scene at the packed Neshaminy School Board meeting Tuesday evening.

Prior to the school board members entering the meeting, Neshaminy parents began chanting "Teach our kids" while the Neshaminy Federation of Teachers chanted "Negotiate."

The teachers continued to chant "Negotiate" as the board members made their way to the board table, while parents cheered and chanted "Ritchie" before board President Ritchie Webb entered the meeting.

"I hope we can get through this meeting with professionalism on both sides," Superintendent Louis Muenker said at the start of the meeting, noting that "emotions [were] high on both sides."

When it came time for public comment, Neshaminy community members finally got the chance to state their feelings about the strike and voice their support for the board or the union.

"Our actions define us. Neshaminy teachers, all of the wonderful things you’ve done for children will forever be overshadowed by what you’re doing now," Middletown Township resident Kevin Gallagher said.

"Our children are not anyone’s bargaining children. You should have never targeted the children," he said of the teachers' strike.

"What lessons are they teaching our children? It’s about power. It's about money. It's not about youth," Penndel resident Mike Caputo said, telling the board to "stand firm for as long as it takes."

"If you really wanted to negotiate you wouldn’t have walked out when there were two negotiation sessions scheduled," Feasterville resident Stephen Pirritano said of the "reprehensible action."

Langhorne resident and New Jersey public school teacher Angela Manning stood at the podium and stated that her husband lost his job last Spring and that this Spring she will be losing her home.

"Now, you want more from me?," Manning asked the teachers.

"I can't give you anything else. I'm already working two jobs and trying to support my family," she said.

"What I am upset about is the irresponsible behavior of the board to take the negotiations to the street. I am a taxpayer and those negotiations should be handled in the back room," Levittown resident Terry Ditis said.

However, Middletown resident Armando Carrasquillo stated that back room negotiations are what got the district in a "mess."

"No one wants to take responsibility, it’s all about pointing fingers, that’s not how we’re going to find resolve this," high school Spanish teacher Cara DiLorenzo said, noting that the only way to end it is if the "two sides put up white flags and talk until it’s done."

Several teachers and NFT members urged the school board to continue talks, including Marian Reed, a Maple Point Middle School teacher.

"The only way to reach a settlement is to sit face-to-face and hammer out a contract," she said.

When NFT President Louise Boyd took to the podium, she discussed the teachers' professional voice, or equal say, which she said the district has followed for the past 30 to 40 years.

"It’s all about control, not collaboration. Being in control is more important than working with teachers," Boyd said of Webb.

"No where does it say that teachers will not have input," Webb said, adding that he wants their skills, intelligence and leadership, but "someone has to be the boss."

In regards to the teachers urging the board to continue talks, Webb said if the union wants him at the previously scheduled negotiation session Thursday, teachers need to go back to work. The school board decided to .

"If you don’t go back to work, I wont be there," Webb said.